Anchorage - July 16 & 17

Saturday we got up leisurely and went to Thunderbird Falls.  Eklutna river and lake run through the area.  The hike to the viewing platform was close to a mile.  I have been amazed by water falls since mother and daddy took us on a trip and we saw Ruby Falls in Chattanooga,TN.  

There are tress like the one below that have white bark and then will have a strip of this dark bark.  Very interesting.  I need to find out what kind of trees these are.

Along the trail Sarah would take pictures of flowers and plant life.  She is a great photographer.  

A view of Eklutna River.  It was a long way down.  

When we turned the corner and saw the falls, I gasped!  It was amazing.  

This is the bridge to the viewing platform.  The excitement was about to begin.  

We decided to venture down to the river and get a better view of the falls.  I can't stress enough how exciting this was.  It was in the top 3 most exciting things I have ever done.  Pictured below are 2 guys that went a little further than we were willing to go.  One of the guys ended up being a rescuer for a guy that had a toddler in a backpack (WITH A TRIPOD) and was sliding down the slick mountain.  Sarah and I stood there a foot or two from "idiot guy" with toddler in backpack and were able to do nothing but watch.  They made it down to our amazement.  Had they fallen, I am sure it would have killed the toddler.  This brings up another "child abuse" case.  There was a military guy in camo in the parking lot of the trail that was packin a gun and dropping "f" bombs in the parking log with his young girls (5 years old or so) in tow.  Sarah said that people are armed all over Alaska.  Hmmmmm

 We are perched on a rock and this is our close-up view of the falls.  It was loud and you could feel the spray of the falls.

At this point we were trying to clean ourselves up.  We had scooted up the mountain and we were a bit dirty. The water was chillllllyyyyyy.

Can you tell how we went up the mountain?

Sarah taking pictures of a red and yellow mushroom.  I thought she was going to be a human sacrifice to the mushroom gods in a picture just after this.  There was quite a drop inches passed her foot.  

Eklutna Lake - we will go back when Meme and Byrom get here to get a better look.  There were campers there, canoeing and all sorts of stuff.  Just before we got to the lake, we passed an ice cream store.  So funny.  

SUNDAY - Breakfast with David and Deneva at Snow City Cafe.  Sarah and I split crab omlet, toast, hash browns and a latte.  Yummy.  The wait is crazy at Snow City Cafe.  We put out names on list around 8:30 and got in about 10:00.  It was worth the wait.  

Dark picture, but that is David and Deneva.  David is in the Coast Guard with Lucas and Deneva is a special friend of Sarah's.  

On to the Open Air Market.  What a treat.  I was expecting a typical Texas Flea Market.  Wow, was I ever underestimating the experience.  

Sarah and Lucas with coffee in hand.  

K - this guy was hilarious.  The whole stand had funny things about Alaska being bigger, "hey there little buddy", etc.  It was great and this guy had a really good laugh with us about being from Texas.  He said most of his sales are to Texans.  

Only in Alaska would you have a Halibut stand at the market!

All over downtown there are the same hanging baskets.  The yellow flower on top and vibrant (you can't tell by this picture) tiny purple flowers.  They are beautiful.  

I interrupted a great bear story to take this picture.  I still need to hear that bear story.  

Sarah pointed out a quilt store downtown, The Quilted Raven.  I had to see it for myself.  It was amazing.  There are wonderful quilt stores in Alaska.  I have seen 2 of them.  I am thinking I need to see more.  Sarah bought the patter to make this quilt.  Can you believe it!!!!  Lucas slept while we shopped.  It was not a short shopping trip.  

Some interesting facts about Alaska.  When I got here there was cotton like fiber floating everywhere.  It is like the cotton that cottonwood trees shed.  I found a tree across the street from Lucas and Sarah's to show an example.  

This is a plant that is everywhere.  It is like Texas stinging nettle.  It is a big plant and prevalent in Anchorage.  We saw a lot of it in Eagle River.  Sarah the photographer said that the flowers sting you and not the leaves.  The leaves are larger than a big pie plate and the flowers are even bigger.  I am on a quest to get the names of the trees and the stinger plant.  Cow Parsnip or Devils Club!

OK, I never thought in a million years I would see this happen, but Sarah and Deneva decided they wanted to learn to sew and Sarah specifically wanted to make a quilt.  There is no time like the present, so we got started.  Deneva will be here today for her sewing lesson.  By 10:30 we had a table runner.  Sarah did such a good job.  Her corners are perfect.  If you are a quilter, you know how hard that is.  My corners did not look like this for years.  She did everything herself.  Her Meme George would be so proud of her.  

Forgot to mention this before.  SARAH AND LUCAS HAVE A SAUNA in their house.  Is that a hoot or what!  I can't wait for Byrom to get here.  We are going to test that baby out!

Anchorage - July 15

The flowers in Anchorage are the most beautiful you have ever seen, geraniums, petunias, etc.  They are all the flowers you can grow in Texas for a week or two before they give way to the heat.

I kept myself entertained in the house on Friday until about noon when I went to go have lunch with Sarah.  I met the radiologist that she works with.  Very nice, flerty men that keep Sarah on her toes.  One doctor said, "Don't get any big ideas and take her back to Texas, we like having her here."  That doctor had been stationed in San Antonio.  I told him about the weather and that it was blistering hot south of San Antonio. As I was leaving, a girl asked me where I was from and I said Pleasanton.  Turns out the young doctor girl is Keith Shearer's daughter, Kayla.  Keith Shearer played the piano at our wedding and owns Kalidascoops in Pleasanton.  Small world.
After lunch, I had the GPS guide me through Anchorage to various stores.

After Sarah and Lucas got off, we went to Eagle River to take pictures.  Sarah and Lucas have been together for 10 years this year and the pictures were to commemorate the occasion.  Eagle River Nature Center was beautiful and FULL of mosquitos.  Those pictures are definitely going to have to be touched up.  The mountains were beautiful.  The most amazing scenery I have ever seen.

The photographer suggested Haute Quarter Grill for dinner and it was sooooo good.  Between the three of us, we had all three house specials.  Sarah had salmon, Lucas had prime rib and I had the filet with Yes those are figs.

Anchorage - 13 & 14 - with my GPS ap and Sarah's Jeep I was unstopable

The hospital that Sarah works at. 

   

A view of the Chugash Mountain Range from Sarah's parking lot.  Lucas can explain how weather changes in a flash in Alaska.  The clouds signify a change that is coming.  

Tourist come to Sarah's hospital to see the exhibits.  Here is one.  The gift shop is amazing, ivory, carvings, jewelry, mucklucks, baleen, etc. 

 

Sarah's work station.  She works with some amazing people. I met, Kay, Gloria, George and had lunch with them on Wednesday.  Gloria told me about a native market to go to on Friday.  Sarah did a sonogram on me.  

Then i was off to search for needle shops in Anchorage.  My first stop was not what I had in mind.  Abandoned trailer in a residential area.

Second stop, was Grace's Needle Store.  What do you know, another residential area.  I was curious so I called Grace.  Grace is pictured below.  She is 82.  She had the largest needle craft store in Anchorage and had closed it a year or so ago and had the inventory in her house.  She let me come over and go through her stuff.  Grace had lived in San Antonio.  What a small world.  She said that she had dated many a Texas man.  I told her Texas men were the BEST!  

Rucas (not to be confused with Lucas), Sarah and Lucas' neighbor dog.  Notice how big he is?  He is almost as tall as Sarah.  He is an Alaskan Malamute (redish).  He howls during the day.  His welcome to newcomers is to pee on them.  Major went to introduce himself and he peed on his head.  Just after this picture, he tried to pee on Sarah.  

This is a picture taken outside Sarah's house at 10:30 p.m.

On Thursday, I spent the day in the freezing house.  I set up Skype with Jenna and Amanda.  Skype will be great for keeping all of us together.  

At 2:30 I ventured out to get my haircut by Sabrina.  Who would have known that an African American girl would give me the best haircut and color I have ever had.  I almost had a heart attack when Sarah said she made me a hair appoint.  Hair appointments are my LEAST favorite thing in the world.  

After the great haircut, Sarah, Deneva and I went to Alaska's famous Moose's Tooth.  The wait for a Moose's Tooth pizza, 1.5 hours . . . I don't think so.  We went home and had take out pizza.  Deneva is adorable.  Sarah and I will be spending more time with her this week.  I might even teach them to quilt.  

This is a side note.  Sarah has just moved in and this is her apron collection in her kitchen.  She keeps family alive in her house with GG candles, Aunt Jennifer's aprons and lots of pictures.  

Alaska - July 12 & 13

Byrom dropped me off at the airport and was able to stay with me while I got bags checked, etc and what a relief that was.  I traveled all the time, but for some reason, I was a wreck about this flight(s).  Crazy.
Each flight left on time.  I flew by an 82 year old Italian woman that was visiting a daughter in San Antonio and then flying to her new home in Oceanside California.  What a blessing God sent to me in that 82 year old woman.  She told me I had a beautiful smile and was a gift to her from God.  She watched me smock from San Antonio to Salt Lake.  She was a character.  Her mother died when she was 13.  She had 2 beautiful daughters, a stingy son-in-law and a spoiled grandchildren.  I stayed with her until she got to her gate in Salt Lake to make the trek to San Diego.  We walked through the airport together and she offered me food countless times.  She said that she was not stingy like her San Antonio son-in-law that had her pay for every meal as she was visiting.  After I had turned down at least 2 offers to eat, she told me that she was a millionaire.  I called her daughter at the gate in Salt Lake to confirm that she was not to fly directly to Oceanside.  This was very confusing for her.  Anywho, wish I had gotten her name and contact information, she was a joy.
The leg from Salt Lake to Anchorage was the worst flight I have ever had.  Kids everywhere and the one sitting behind me was a lap child that kicked my seat and screamed the whole way.  At the 3 hour mark, I almost committed a crime.  I walked back to the galley and the flight attendant (since 74) talked me down.
As I was navigating through the airport and recognizing places, I turned the "Polar Bear" corner and who do I see buy my curly hair Sarah.  What a sight.  She stayed with me as I got my bags and then it was time to greet Lucas.  What a night.  So happy to be here.  Got to bed about 5:00 Texas time.
Now I am thinking of all the things that I want to tell Byrom and mom so that they have the best trip possible.
Eating with Sarah today at the hospital and maybe some sight seeing.

Korban to perform at Carnegie Hall

Monday, January 03, 2011

Elyssa Korban, a student at McNeil High School has been selected for the 2011 American High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall.

Korban auditioned this fall for the Honors Performance Series and was accepted after a review by the selection board committee, according to a news release issued Dec. 10. Korban will join other performers from the United States and Canada for a special performance at Carnegie Hall.

Korban studies music with Vanguel Tangarov, principle clarinetist of the Austin Lyric Opera and Stephen Girko, principle clarinetist of the Austin Symphony Orchestra. She is a member of the McNeil Wind Ensemble, McNeil Symphony, Austin Youth Symphony Orchestra, Region Band and Orchestra and the Austin Young People's Chamber Orchestra.

Additionally, she is active in the Texas Future Music Educators Round Rock Chapter, has received first division ratings at the Region and State UIL Solo and Ensemble Competition and was recognized as a Texas Music Educators Scholar for the 2009-10 school year.

Sarah is a rock star at work!

This is a personal letter from Sarah's supervisor!

4th of July 2011

4th of July is always a blast in Dallas.  Scott and Jennifer's neighborhood always has a parade.  Below are pictures of this years event.  Their float and kids are celebrating the Dallas Maverick basketball championship.  This is a sweet victory as Scott was working for the Dallas Mavericks when they had Jed. 

Scott is the shredded shirt fan close to the float

Scott & Phil

__, Becky & Jennifer the faithful Maverick fans